Robbinsville – Graham County Schools will continue to require students and teachers to “mask up” for at least another month.
On Tuesday, the Graham County Board of Education voted 3-2 to continue the mask mandate it approved in an emergency meeting on Sept. 1. Tuesday’s vote was settled after Board Chairman Rodney Nelson broke a 2-2 tie, with board members Pam Knott and Jonathan Allison against. Vice Chair Chip Carringer and member Shane Garland voted in favor.
Prior to the vote, Graham County Schools Superintendent Angie Knight spoke in favor of continuing the mask requirement.
“My recommendation as superintendent would be, for this month, to continue the mask mandate, as we have seen some decline in our cases,” Knight said. “Whether we can contribute this to masks or not, I don’t have the scientific data myself, nor am I medically inclined … I would hate – at this point – to change that and see numbers go back up.”
Knight said that Graham County Health Director Beth Booth also supported continuing the mask mandate.
“Since the mask mandate, our kids our in school and that’s really what we’re trying to do, is keeping kids in school,” said Robbinsville Elementary School nurse Carleigh Odom.
As of Tuesday, only four students were positive for COVID-19, with 11 in quarantine. On the same day, only one district staff member had tested positive, with none in quarantine. In comparison, the first update after the mask mandate was implemented showed 32 students positive and 34 in quarantine, with nine staff positive plus three in quarantine. The trend mirrors similar declines in Graham County and the state of North Carolina.
All three district principals also spoke in support of continuing masks for the time being, and said enforcing the mandate in their respective schools had not been particularly difficult.
“Our kids have really been good about wearing them in class,” said Robbinsville High School Principal David Matheson. “We hand out about 100 at the door every morning as kids come in, and they wear them all day except for in the lunchroom and PE.
“The numbers are down, and I’m like Mrs. Knight – I’m no expert, but we’ve got very few cases. Something has helped.”
Prior to the vote, board attorney M. Ellen Davis discussed a new policy mandated by the state for all school districts. Under the new policy, school boards are required to vote on whether or not to keep masks in their schools once a month. In prior versions, a vote had to be cast every 30 days.
The policy still leaves whether masks are required or not to each individual board.
“We were required to do either resolutions or a policy every 30 days,” Davis said. “Now the requirement is a policy. You must do a policy regarding face coverings for both employees and students, and before, there was so much discussion of students. In this policy from the General Assembly, the goal is to provide in-person learning, to sustain in-person learning.”
She said the policy did not expect districts to ask about vaccination status, but would require masks in all indoor spaces and large groups if the board were to vote in favor.
Even if the board had voted against masking, students would still be required to wear masks on buses and other school transport vehicles.
The mask policy will be revisited at the board’s next regular meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 2 at 10 a.m.